Written in 2001: Wynndel
is a small community at the south end of Kootenay Lake, not far
from Creston. There are still a handful of grain elevators in
the area, and still some grain growing, especially in the
Creston Valley. I painted this elevator in 1995 and wonder
whether it is still standing and, indeed, whether there are
still tracks on the rail line.

From Westley Paynter, October,
2013: I had come across your website a while ago and I
remembered it today when I noticed the grain elevator in Wynndel
BC was being torn down. Here's a picture....

From Nicole Rogne, 2012: I
just came across your page on Vanishing BC about the Wynndel grain
elevator! I haven't explored more of the website yet, but I
thought I'd send a quick e-mail to say that the Wynndel grain
elevator is still standing as of April, 2012, althought it is no
longer in use - there is a 2001 calendar in the small office
beside it, along with some other things, and there is still
equipment in the elevator - since it is so close to homes, it has
not been vandalized. However, there is talk that it will
come down soon, nobody knows how soon yet. I live VERY close
to the elevator and tracks (they're still there) and the train
runs twice every night between 9PM and 3AM. The Wigens also
still live here and own quite a bit of property in Wynndel.

Notes from Creston Review 1958 Centennial edition:
"O.J. Wigen, the father of Wynndel, first set foot there in 1893
in his mining pursuits. When the mining petered out, interests
turned to logging and sawmilling. In 1901, Mr. Wigen cleared the
first orchard and gave Wynndel its start as a strawberry growing
centre. Tree fruits did not gain prominence unil more recent
years. Some of the pioneers will recall the names of such early
settlers as Fred Hagen, Clem Payette, Monrad Wigen, Matt Hagen,
Walker Cooper and Ed Butterfield. Sirdar was the lake terminus
for the CPR Crow's Nest line, founded by J. Lumsden in 1898. The
trains went 3 miles beyond Sirdar to Kootenay Landing, but
returned to the shops at Sirdar."

Santo Pascuzzo and Peter Cherbo were two of the pioneers –
Sirdar is noted for its stone terracing.